In the sports world, a lot can happen in a month – transfers, cuts, early season droughts and late-season surges. In a matter of weeks, predictions can become realities and losers can become winners.
On the other hand, over the last month not much has happened to the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team in regards of national rankings.
At least, not until recently. Not until collegiate coaches decided the 49ers have earned national recognition.
Most importantly, with Big West Conference play on the horizon, the 49ers will finally get the chance to climb atop the conference standings.
The 49ers are ranked No. 25 by the CSTV/AVCA, the leading college volleyball rankings, but they only have the second best non-conference record in the Big West behind Cal State Fullerton, whose out-the-gate 11-1 record marks the best start in Titan history.
Despite the starting accomplishment, the Titans are not ranked in the CSTV/AVCA Top-25 poll. They are not nationally recognized as an up-and-coming volleyball team. They are not even a threat. They shouldn’t be.
Besides being selected to finish fifth in the Big West by the preseason coaches’ poll, the Titans have not had any challenging opponents, not to mention ranked opponents.
In fact, the Titans have spent their young season matching up against teams that are struggling to keep their record at a .500 mark.
Even though a 11-1 record is impressive against anybody, doing it against teams such as Binghamton University, College of Charleston, University of Texas-El Paso, Dartmouth and Lipscomb makes the strong start look less impressive.
In perspective, the Titan challengers are nothing more than just the opposition. These teams struggle to keep their losses in single digits. Actually, most of the teams the Titans have played can’t buy a win.
As for third-place Cal Poly, its 7-4 record doesn’t show its outstanding play. The Mustangs are ranked No. 21 in the country, and with wins over No. 5 Texas and No. 15 Hawaii, it is understandable.
But back to Long Beach. The 49ers (8-2) have showed why they were tabbed to once again win the Big West.
The first of only two 49er losses this season came against Oregon when they had to play without standout Robin Miramontes, who injured her ankle during pre-game warm-ups. The second loss came against the No.1-ranked team in the nation, Nebraska.
Playing tough teams has become ordinary for the 49ers, but despite a couple of losses, head coach Brian Gimmillaro believes his squad is a winner.
“I think if we play well we can dominate a lot of teams. We have the potential of being very good,” Gimmillaro said after the last 49er victory against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Once conference matches
get underway Sept. 21, the true leader of the Big West will emerge. Will it be the 49ers or the Mustangs? Will UC Santa Barbara, last season’s Big West co-champs, make a late run? Maybe the Titans are for real, but I doubt it.
The upcoming conference matches will separate the winners from the early-season beneficiaries of a weak schedule. Remember, a lot can happen in one month.
